Water cooler



C. S. BATDORF Jan. 8, 1929.

WATER COOLER Filed March 4, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR fsw/M5525. 9a rac/nc BY ATTORNEY Jan. 8, 1929.

C. S. BATDORF WATER COOLER Filed March 4, 1927. 2 sheets-Sheet 2 QM. Wh.

INVENTOR 1,698,386 PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES s. BATDORF, or BnoKLYN, NEW YORK.

l WATER COOLER.

Application filed March 4, 1927. Serial No. 172,705.

This invention relates to liquid coolers, more es ecially water coolers, 'of the class in which t e liquid is cooled through the evapf oration of moisture outside the container or conduit for the liquid.

An object of the invention is to provide an eiicient and economical cooler of the class mentioned wherein the liquid is preferably contained in conducting means, such, for example, as a coil of pipes, and -wherein a current of air is artificially created-so as to fiow around the liquid conducting means, which are of a porous nature, that is, per-- meable to moisture, l

Another object of the invention is to so enclose the liquid conducting means and a fan which may be operated by a motor, so that the forced draft created by the fan will be compelled to circulate around the liquid conducting means transversely of the pipesl or conduits which may form the liquid conducting means. 4 v

These being*I among the objects of the present invention, the same consists of certain features of construction and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described' and then claimed with reference tothe accompanying drawings illustrating preferred embodiments of the invention and in which Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional View, partly in elevation, showing the invention as adapted for an inverted bottle; V

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the upper portion of the coil pipes of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of some of the turns of the coilsm;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of 'a modication of the cooler;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the 'upper' part of the enclosure in section;

Fig. 6 is an end view of the timing mechanism; and

Fig. 7 is a side elevation, partly `diagrammatic.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, acasing orenclosure 10 is provided which may be constructed with Walls which do not conduct heat to any material extent. Prefer'- ablythe enclosure 10 stands upright and is provided with a removable cover 11 which has a central aperture 12 adapted to receive the neck of an inverted bottle 13 which may contain water or any other liquid'. Y v

Arranged inthe enclosure 10 are liquid conducting means preferably in the form of a coil 14 of pipes. Preferably,'thevcoil 14 is made-up of a pluralityof pipe sections A15 which .may be of earthenware or similar l sufficiently porous material so that the walls of the sections are permeable, and so that moisture from the liquid will tend to accumulate on the outer surfaces of the pipe sections. These pipe sections 15 extend transversely across the innerv chamber of lthe enclosure 10, and the ends of the adja! cent pipe 'sections are connected byreturn bends 16, so that a continuous channel is formed throughout the length of the coil' of pipes. Theupper end of the coil, that is the irst pipe section of the coil starts from the inlet mouth memberI 17, which may also be of porous material; This mouth member may be supported-by braces 18 secured to the side Walls of the upper portion -of the enclosure 10, and'it extends upwardly close to the cover 11 and rthe joint 'may be packed by a suitable packing 19, so. that when the neck of the bottle is inserted through the aperture 12 a seal will be formed between the bottle and the mouth 4portion 17 to preventyescape of liquid.

The turns of the coilvof pipes may be' supported by a series of cross braces or supports 20, and the last turn of the coil terminates in al pipe extension 21 that passes through the wall of the enclosure and terminates in a controlled outlet 22, preferably in the form of a water faucet.

A current o f air may be permitted or caused to play around the porous pipe section 15 with a view to evaporating moisture on the outer surfaces of the pipe sections, sol

that the liquid owin through the coil will be cooled by such en orced evaporation, the air finding outlets through the openings 23 in the cover 11'. Preferably the current of air is artificially and positively created,` as by means of a rapidly rotated fan 24 located within the lower portion ofthe enclosure l0, so as to cause a draft of cooling air upwardly through the enclosure and around the separate pipe sections 15, the air flowing in a counter-current to the flow o/f liquid toward outlet 22. yThe shaft 25 of the fan extends through an aperture 2G in the bottom of the enclosurelO, which aperture constitutes the inlet for air. Through the mc- 'dium-of the shaft 25,` the fau may be rapidly rotated by means of an' electric motor 2G which is independently operated from the flow of liquid and may be supportedl by a frame 27 attached to the bottom of the enclosure 10. As a matter of fact the motor, and

hence the fan, is operated Wit-lioiit dependence on the head of the liquid.

It will be understood that lairl sucked throuo'h the inlet aperture 26 by means of vthe ign 24 will beforced through the enclosure-'and will pass out at the topvopenings 23 which are around the liquid bottle 13. Thiswill have a tendency to preliminarily cool the liquid inthe bottle. Furthermore, the current of air passes over the moist pipe sections and sufiiciently lowers the temperature ofthe liquid in the coil pipes so that it may be drawnotf as la cool liquid through the faucet 22. There is a substantially free air space between the fan and the liquid conducting pipes, so that the flow of air is unobstructed, except by the' pipes.

Within the bottom portion of' the enclosure there is a drip collector 28 preferably in the form ofa funnel, the Wide mouth of which is at the top and close to the Wall of the enclosure 10, while the lower end of thev same converges close to the aperture 26, so thatfdrip from the coil of pipes may be directed towards the fan. A guard flange 29 extends upwardly from the aperture so that with the lower end of the funnel 28 it will form a trough for the accumulated drip of liquid, which may lpass off through an outlet 3() In the modification shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the enclosure 31 is providedl with a cover -32 having air outlet openings 33. A coil of scribed, and there is a fan 40, the shaft of .which extends through air inlet aperture 41 and is operated by an electric motor 42.

In lcase it is not desired'to run the fan 40 for an indefinite length of time, means .may be provided for stopping the motor. Such means may comprise a clock 43, and one form of clock control is illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7.

The hour mechanism of the clock may, for example, turn a shaft 44 provided with a gear'45 which meshes with a gear 46, which is on a suitably supported shaft 47 which carries a cut-out disk 48. The edge of the disk 48 may be provided with a conducting strip 49 of such length as desired, with a view to automaticall cutting off the current of electricity at night and turning it on in the morning. The conducting strip 49 is moved bythe clock in contact With a pair of contacts 50, 51 which are connected with the respective sides of the circuit 52 for the motor 42. No further description of the operation o the time controlling means is deemed necessary. I

` In practice, it may be found desirable to provide an automatic cut-oil:l for the Water, at pipe 37. This is because of the fact that the water is there under pressure and one of the pipe-sections might break. One way of'cutting off Would be to provide a valve in pipe 37 which would be lautomatically closed by the Weight of Water which had accumulated in a vessel as a result of the break and leakage of water so that the vessel would automatically close such valve.

It is obvious that theinvention is susceptible of modification while remaining Within the scope of the vappended claims.

lVhat Iclaim as new is:

1. In a liquid cooler, the combination of an enclosure, a plurality of permeable pipes arranged ltransversely in the same for the fiow of a liquid to be cooled and having a controlled outlet, and means for positively generating a flow of air through the en closure and around the pipes, the enclosure being substantially free from any obstruction to thel flow of air to the pipes.

2. In a liquid cooler, the combination of an enclosure, a coil of permeable pipes `in the same for the. flow of a liquid to be cooled and having a'controlled outlet, such coil comprising porous pipe sections extending transversely of the enclosure, and means for generating a flow of air through 'the enclosure in the direction in which the coil extends as a Whole and around the pipes, and 'in a counter current to the flow of the liquid towardsthe outlet, the venclosure bemgsubstantially free from any obstruction to lthe flow of air to the pipes.

3. In a liquid cooler, the combination of an enclosure, porous liquid conducting means therein provided with aninlet and a controlled outlet for establishing a flow of liquid in contactvwith the porous means in directions transversely of the enclosure, and means for positively generating a flow of ai'r through the enclosure and around the liquid conducting means independently of the head of the liquid.

4. In a liquid cooler, the combination of an upright enclosure, porous liquid conducting means therein provided With an inlet for liquid at the upper end and a controlled outletA for liquid at the lower end, such means traversing the enclosure from side to side, and means at the bottom of the enclosure for generating a flow of air upwardly through the enclosure and transversely around the liquid conducting means.

5. In a liquid cooler, the combination of drip collecting means in the bottom of the I Lacasse' l an upright enclosure having an air-outlet opening in its upper portion, Aa porous liquid conducting coil therein, below said opening, and provided with aninlet .and a controlled outlet, said coil filling a comparatively large portion of the enclosure,

enclosure and having an outlet, and -means at the lower end of the enclosure for forcing a fiow of air upwardly through the enclosure and around'the coil.

6. In a liquid cooler, the combination of an lupright enclosure having an air outlet opening in its upper portion, a porous liquid conducting coil thereon, below said opening,

and provided with an inlet and al controlled outlet, said coil filling. a comparatively large portion of the enclosure, a dripl collecting `funnel in the bottom of the enclosure, having a central aperture, said funnel having anl outlet for the collected drip, and afan disposed relatively to the central aperture for causing a iiow of'air therethrough, inwardly into the enclosure and around the coil.

an enclosure having upper means for sup# porting an inverted liquid bottle with its neck extending into the enclosure, porous liquid conducting means in the enclosure, and having an outlet, and an inlet mouth member leading to the liquid conducting means, for operative cooperation with the v r portion connected with the. upper 7. In a liquid cooler, the combination of' -mouth ofthe bottle, theenclosure beingv open for the circulatlon of air around the liquid conducting means, and the porous structure of the conducting means being relatively close to the mouth and hence close tothe bottle.

i 8. In a liquid cooler, the combination of an enclosure having upper means for supporting an inverted liquid bottle with its neck4 extending into the enclosure, porous liquid conducting -means in the enclosure,v and having an outlet, an inlet'mouth mem-4 ber leading to the liquid conducting means, for operative cooperation with the mouth ofthe bottle, and means for positively genenclosure and around the liquid conducting means.

9. In a liquid cooler, the combination of an enclosure having an apertured cover, the cover adapted to support an inverted liquid bottle with its neck extending into the aperture, a porous liquid eonductin coil having an outlet, an upwardly extending mouth portion of the coil and adapted to receive the mouth of the bottle, and means for'generating a ow of air through the` enclosure and outlet opening, whereby the iowing air is adapted to preliminarily reduce the temperature ofthe liquid in the bottle.

CHARLES S. BATDORF.

eratinga ,flow of air upwardly through the around the coil, said cover having an air 

